Electric, hybrid vehicle numbers drop after Clean Car Discount scrapped

New data has shown a decrease in the sales of electric and hybrid vehicles following the removal of the Clean Car Discount.

In December 2023, 4349 electric vehicles were registered. Last month, that number had dropped to 446.

Inclusive of hybrid models, December saw 7000 vehicle registrations, with January seeing just under 3000.

Aimee Wiley of the Motor Industry Association said the numbers were unsurprising.

"Most savvy consumers got in, and got the discount before it was gone," she said.

She also said the numbers were concerning.

"It's deeply concerning, our climate change commitments and our progression towards a cleaner fleet absolutely relies on consumers choosing the lowest emitting vehicle that they can."

But Minister of Transport Simeon Brown said he is confident there will be a rebound of electric and hybrid vehicles purchased, even with the removal of the discount.

"We're going to invest in the EV charging network, we've got a lot of work going on around that... the regulatory framework to actually make it easier to invest in EV charging, we're also going to support that investment overtime," he said.

The Green Party does not agree, with the party calling on the Government to better incentivise customers to purchase vehicles that are better for the environment.

"They [the National Party] say they're committed to climate targets, it's bull****," the Green transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said.

"We need to make the cost of buying an EV lower at the point of purchase, and that's what the Clean Car Discount did."